The Remaining Possibilities
by The Cheshire Cheese
Summary: Sparing Voyager its first "Year of Hell" also meant sacrificing two family members, who will now never be born. Kes opens up to Samantha Wildman, who offers an alternate interpretation. (Tag to "Before and After," with references to "Displaced.")


**A/N: This ficlett concerns the episode "Before and After," but is set directly after "Displaced."**

**I don't own "Star Trek: Voyager." If I did, Sam and Naomi would get more than two episodes together, and Kes would be allowed to have flaws.**

**Also, I now realize that I accidently ripped-off a story by Laura Schiller (a fantastic writer on this site). More on that in the bottom Author's Note.**

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At less than a year old, Naomi was already walking and learning words. Samantha let her daughter waddle all the way to Sickbay, only taking her hand when she began to waver. When the doors to Sickbay hissed opened, the Doctor and Kes appeared deep in a conversation, but both stopped to greet their two patients.

"Where are we, Naomi?" Sam asked.

"Sick-bay." Fortunately, the words were easy to pronounce for a toddler.

While the Doctor fetched his medical tricorder, Sam gestured to Kes. "Naomi, who's this?"

Naomi struggled to pronounce the nurse's name, and finally spouted, "K'pfft!"

The Ocampan smiled. "Close enough!"

They spent a few moments catching up, Sam complimenting Kes on her new long, curly hairstyle. When the Doctor returned with his tricorder, Sam pointed at the hologram and asked her daughter, "And who's that?"

Naomi eagerly pointed at the hologram. "Bald!"

The hologram froze and grimaced, while Sam sighed into her hand and Kes bit her lip in silent laughter.

"Sorry Doctor," Sam apologized. "After our last check-up, Naomi asked about your hair, and learned a new word."

The Doctor flipped opened his tricorder and began scanning the toddler. "Any time you remember how my future counterpart managed to program that hair, Kes, feel free to let me know."

It was only a few weeks ago that Kes had recovered from a temporal anomaly which had caused her to speed backwards through her life. From her experience, she'd gained invaluable knowledge of the crew's future, or at least one possible future. And among the strange events she'd witnessed was the Doctor programming himself some hair. At present, he was unable to do this. Sam wasn't sure if it was something built into his programming, or if there was some other reason. She never asked, because the Doctor was sensitive about the subject.

"I'm sorry Doctor, I never found that out." Kes held her smile, but the rest of her face seemed to sink.

Scanning Naomi, the Doctor reported, "She seems to be in good health so far. If anything I'd say that outdoor air did you both good."

He was referring to the recent incident, only a few days earlier, when aliens had transported the crew to an outdoor prison. Fortunately, no one was seriously harmed in that adventure, and the ship, of course, was taken back.

"That was the first time she's actually been outside," Sam said. "Well, not counting when she was a baby. She loved it. Seeing all those plants and exploring that new environment. I almost felt bad when we returned to Voyager. She keeps asking to go back. I've always felt children shouldn't start on the holodeck too young, but given the circumstances..."

The Doctor offered, "I believe there's a 'Flotter' program in the ship's database…"

They continued to converse, while the Doctor scanned Naomi, and then Samantha. After the Doctor declared both mother and daughter to be in perfect health, he retreated to his office to do some work, while Samantha and Kes stayed to socialize a bit.

"Kes, is something wrong?" Sam asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You've seemed a bit, I don't know, distracted lately. Is it something to do with that future you saw?"

Kes glanced at the Doctor, as if to ensure he wasn't eavesdropping. Then, for some reason, she glanced at Naomi. The toddler was busy practicing her walking, going in circles around a biobed.

"Yes, actually, it is."

Sam thought over what she knew about the future Kes had seen. "Is it something that happened during, what did you call it, 'the Year of Hell?' We can prevent that from happening, with the knowledge you gave Captain Janeway in your report."

"Yes Sam, that's what I'm bothered about." Again, she looked at Naomi. "A few days ago, the Doctor invited B'Elanna and me to have dinner with that family he created, on the holodeck." Her blue eyes met Samantha's. "I had children, Sam. In that future."

Sam's eyebrows rose.

"Well one child, actually. A daughter. Her name was," Kes's face contorted, as she worked to remember. "Linnis. That's an Ocampan name I've always been fond of. Through her I had a grandson. His name was strange…I think it was Human. Ah…Anew? A'dew?"

"Andrew?" Sam suggested.

"Yes! That was it! Andrew."

"Who did you have Linnis with?" Sam asked. "Neelix?"

"No, Tom. Tom Paris."

Sam's surprise was evident again. "Tom? I was under the impression he was warning up to—"

"B'Elanna." Kes looked away, almost shamefully. "She died, during the Year of Hell."

It didn't take long for Sam to work it out. "So, Tom only ended up with you after B'Elanna…"

Kes took in a deep breath.

Sam's eyes widened at the sudden realization. "That must've been an awkward dinner..."

Kes nodded. "In front of me, children, like the ones who might now never exist. Next to me, B'Elanna, whose death was what made those children possible." Kes's shoulders sank. "I know B'Elanna. Not well perhaps, but I know her. And Captain Janeway. And Joe Carrey, and presumably everyone else who died that year. And-if you'll pardon me Sam-when I say I 'know' someone I really mean it, being a telepath. I've heard everyone's hopes and fears. I know how much Tom and B'Elanna secretly care for each other, and how close B'Elanna is to finally opening up to Tom, after being afraid her entire life to let anyone in. The thought of her dying right after...I couldn't allow it to happen. I wasn't thinking too hard about my daughter and grandson, because…well they're like something out of a dream. I only remember fragments of them, and it hardly seems real."

"It wasn't real." Sam quickly corrected herself. "I mean of course it was real, but it's not anymore. It's just one possibility."

"No, it's not a real possibility. Not now that I've warned you all about the Krenim. I mean, unless somehow…." Kes clearly didn't want to finish the sentence out loud.

Sam finished it for her. "Unless Tom becomes a polygamist, and ends up with you both." Eying Kes she asked, "Do you want to be with Tom?"

Kes shook her head. "No, I don't. I mean, I don't _not_ want to be with him, but it's not something I've been thinking too hard about. Since breaking up with Neelix, I've been enjoying time alone." Kes visibly cringed. "I don't want that future to happen, Sam. I don't want us to lose the captain or B'Elanna. And I don't want to marry Tom. Tom and B'Elanna love each other. I normally try not to eavesdrop on other people's minds, but sometimes people's thoughts just sort of scream out, and I hear them. The feelings Tom had for me in that future, where we were married, they weren't the same. It was more like, like desperate clinging, out of loneliness. Tom wouldn't be truly happy with me, I was just helping him hold on." Her face fell again. "But there was a woman, and a boy, and they were my own child and grandson, my flesh and blood, and I heard their thoughts too. Linnis and Andrew were both frightened for me, when they should've been frightened for each other. And now they no longer exist. Because of my actions."

Sam searched for something to helpful to say. Before coming up with something, her mind wandered to herself and her daughter. "Sam, I apologize if you don't want to answer this, but did you happen to see—or hear about—what happened to Naomi and me?"

Kes frowned. "No, I didn't." She squinted and shook her head. "Or maybe I just don't remember. I don't know. It's like trying to remember a dream after you've woken up. It's a large ship, you may have been there."

_Or we may have died in the Year of Hell_. Though losing their captain, chief engineer, and a huge chunk of the crew over the course of a turbulent year of battles would certainly be enough to warrant the name, the death of the first child born on Voyager could certainly be another contribution to the nickname "the Year of Hell."

"I suppose anything's possible," Sam muttered.

Possible. That word, somehow, now reminded Sam of a strange concept. Something she'd learned at the Academy, in one of her more difficult courses.

"Kes, there are other realities, where different possibilities occur."

Kes looked at her inquisitively.

Sam asked, "Are you familiar with the concept of alternate universes?"

"Oh, yes," Kes nodded. "The Doctor's told me."

"There's at least one other reality confirmed to exist, where Humans, Vulcans, and many, maybe all, Alpha Quadrant species exist. Even individuals have counterparts there. Captain Kirk, Commander Spock. They call it the Mirror Universe. It's believed that there are other universes too, maybe hundreds. Or millions. The number could be infinite, nobody knows."

"You think Linnis and Andrew might still be born, then, in some other reality?"

"If the only thing that prevented your future from happening was Tom winning the fight to extend your life, so the Doctor put you into that chamber, then I'd say there's a very high possibility that your daughter and grandson are still out there in the multiverse somewhere. Somewhere in a universe where things played out differently."

Kes grimaced. "I wish there was some way to know."

"Your senses are becoming more powerful," Sam reminded her. "Maybe you'll reach a point where you can sense that sort of thing."

"It's an exciting thought." Kes's eyes began to wander Sickbay. "All those possibilities…"

Sam watched her daughter climbing up onto the biobed. "Maybe Naomi and Linnis are friends, in one of those universes. After all, they would both age rapidly, one half Ktarian and one half Ocampan."

"Maybe," Kes mused, "alternate universes exist to give every soul a fair chance."

Sam was moderately spiritual, and considered it a distinct possibility. "Maybe."

"So many possibilities," Kes whispered. With conviction, she said, "I may decide to have children someday. I'm honestly not sure. But what I am sure about is that I want to explore my abilities. I want to push my powers as far as they'll go, and not stop until I've seen as many possibilities as the universe—or the multiverse—allows me to."

Sam grinned. "Go for it!"

"Hun'gy," Naomi moaned, from where she now sat on the biobed. "Hung'y!"

"What time is it?" Sam searched for the time on one of the wall panels. "I think I'd better get Naomi lunch. It was great to talk to you again Kes."

"You too. And thank you Sam." Kes smiled, sincerely this time.

"Any time," Sam said, lifting Naomi up from the bed.

Just before leaving, Sam stopped in the doorway. "Oh! I almost forgot to ask. Who was Andrew's father?"

"Harry."

Sam blinked. "…Kim?"

Kes nodded, then shrugged. "Don't ask me how it happened Sam, I've no idea."

Sam pursed her lips in reluctant acceptance, then bid Kes a final goodbye and left to get Naomi and herself some food.

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**A/N: This was edited, after I realized that "Real Life" occurs right after "Before and After," which must have made that family dinner pretty damn awkward for Kes. **

**The Kes/Sam Wildman friendship is yet another aspect of "Voyager" that was implied, but unexplored. Honestly, I think Kes had potential to be interesting; she was one of the show's squandered potentials. I've noticed that all of the Ocampan characters in my fan-fics seem to be alternate versions of Kes, had her personality veered in some distinctive direction, rather than the straightforward fairy princess we were given.**

**Well enough of my rambling. If you're interested in stories that deal with the "Before and After" timeline, here are some I recommend:**

**"No Time Like the Present," by Laura Schiller: A one-shot, where Kes struggles with what she knows about her possible future with Tom, and how to deal with it. This story is extremely similar to the one you've just read, and honest to Q, I didn't realize that when I wrote it. I wrote the draft of this story before reading Laura Schiller's. Anyway, she's a great writer, and it's not a long read. But be warned: it is not a Paris/Torres story. (Though, it doesn't necessarily clash with P/T, depending on your interpretation.)**

**"One Possible Future," by JBHart: Tom and B'Elanna visit the "Before and After" timeline. Short, easy to read, and naturally very emotional.**

**"The Unforgotten," by Ananke: An elderly Tom visits a powerful alien, who shows him what his life would have been like had "Before and After" come true. This is a sad story, but ends on an uplifting Paris/Torres note.**

**"Sleepwalking," by me. Set entirely in the "Before and After" universe, beginning with Kes's death. Seven of Nine and other later-season characters manage to join Voyager's crew, even in this reality, along with some new faces. Written, and probably read, mainly out of boredom.**


End file.
